Spawn
by chickapeea
Summary: AAW. Artificial Automated Womb to be precise, was the latest devised plan to come from the First Order, with intentions to keep Lord Vader's blood line flowing. Slow burn Reylo.
1. Hatchery

AAW

Artifical Automated Womb. A torso sized object suspended in an anti-gravity field, allowing it to hover aimlessly. Light blue gel was encapsulated inside a thin acrylic sac, a single flawless seam ran from the bottom, up the back, and to the bottle neck at the top.

It was a hot commodity within rich communities. Top of the line in fertility assisting, this coming after years of testing when the last versions seams would rip and the gel would spill on the floor, and the fetuses with it.

The first release of these were snatched up, only a few made and instantly they were called for. Oddly enough - the Finalizer had their hands on one. Now it sat in the medbay, in a bare white room, anti-gravity machines humming like white noise in the background. It sat there for a fortnight, not even a glance in its direction, but there was a buzz about this machine these past few days. Nurses asigned to calibrate the machinery, dollies with supplies wheeled into the corners of the room, doctors evaluating the chemicals and nutrients within the gel sac. All for one thing.

Kylo Ren peered into the AAWs room through the square viewing window. It was late at night to allow him to privacy during his venture. He thought to himself how he was about to become quite aquainted with this machine.

Snoke had a plan. Preserving the bloodline. Couldn't let Vaders blood run dry when there was so much _potential. _It wasn't in Kylos place to maintain a relationship, or even just a sexual relationship when there were things to oversee and business to get done. Snoke feared anything of the sort would unbalance plans he had set into motion for Ren.

Kylo _supposed _it made sense. He didn't care for it, really, he had no part in this side mission Snoke had arranged. Though he couldn't shake the curiosity that peaked within him. Fathering a child wasnt something he ever thought of or planned of for the future, and although he understood this venture had no main part of his life that connection would still exist.

Tomorrow the creation was being implanted. He knew only through word of mouth from passing nurses in the halls. They did not know who's it was, only that it was top priority on their to-do list. A pit formed in his stomach when he heard, it wasnt everyday a covert operation on this level happened, especially in his own affairs.

Snoke knew what was best for him, so Kylo allowed it to be.

x

It has been two weeks since his last visit to the Womb. The clock read eleven thirty four at night, the only light bright enough to catch Kylos eye at this time. He hardly slept, often times he lay there in silence, his mind wandered.

Kylo found himself back in front of the window. He looked to the right then to the left, no one in sight. His fingers danced against the keys, entering his high level security code to gain clearance to the chamber. The doors spiralled open and the smell of pristine cleaning agents filled his nose, it was evident they were told to keep this place in tip top shape.

A few strong strides in he was faced with the Womb. It pulsed every other second, sending a small jiggle through the gel, it appeared to be simulating a heart beat. Quite obvious this was trying to portray a natural womb to the best of their ability.

It took him an embarrassingly long second to find what he was looking for. He bent down, dark teesses falling into his eyes, and squinted. It was only the size of a pin prick, it would sit so small against the tip of his finger.

"Amazing." He murmured to himself, twisting his torso to gander at it from different angles. The technology of it, that was. The thing he spied on was nothing more than a small ball of flesh colour, but its significance was great. This had the potential to grow into one of the most powerful force users in recent times. It would grow ans grow, sprout legs and their eyes would form. The process of it all was interesting, something he would like to keep tabs on.

A strand of his hair contributed to half this DNA. He wondered what Snoke had decided to add into this equasion.

x

_"Open the bag please." A nurse spoke silently to the other, her gloved hands hovered mid air, pincers held firmly between her thumb and index finger._

_The other woman nodded silently, undoing the resealable bag and holding it under the pincers. A long brunette hair whimsied through the air and dropped into the bag._

_She sealed it and brought it to eye level. "Looks like a good specimen."_

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	2. Pulsations

A month and a half.

Just a small thing, she was.

Kylo Ren had used his high access to stalk into the AAWs room, lingering around the door before accepting his decision to pry. Or, was it prying when this was just an extension of himself, really?

He stood before the machine, the gel sac pulsating healthily before him, not so ominously anymore. She was still so small - _it_ was still so small. He caught himself again, referring to this experiment like _she_, as if it carried any weight on him at all. If Snoke knew, Kylo would be ordered off ship for some off kilter last minute mission to pry her off his mind. _Her. Dammit._

This specimen was the size of the tip of his pinky now, he could tell because he held up his gloved hand in front of his face - for curiosities sake of course. If he squinted really hard he could make out the blubs of shape that would stretch out to become limbs one day. Extremely malformed head, he noted dutifully, though he wasnt sure what was normal. This wasn't a field of study he knew much about.

He peered through the slits of his helmet to the monitor, eyes scanning dully over the vitals. They seemed normal. The gender was randomly assigned, going with whatever the DNA produced first, and it so happened to be female. Not that they cared much, Vaders blood line would produce the ultimate warrior regardless of sex.

A pulsing white light burned in his mind. _Snoke. _Supreme Leader Snoke took whatever he wanted, and in this moment he decided to take over Kylos mind. It was slightly painful, and a great deal of annoyance to let him through, but he held it off until he could leave the room - Snoke couldn't know he was here.

"Supreme Leader." Kylo breathed, secluding himself to a hallway, completely barren with no trace of the medical wing.

_Kylo Ren. _Snokes voice was snake like, ominous and seething, and after all these years of having him in his mind, he would never get used to it. _The Resistance has acquired a large trade deal with the Kuran System, destroy everything, everyone._

"Yes, Supreme Leader."

_The damned Resistance is gaining traction. We will have to speed up this project of ours to ensure our victory._

x

Nurses, doctors, and engineers had tinkered with the AAW. The script had been rewritten, and soon enough, this little fetus would be a solid asset to the First Order, swinging around weapons in no time.

Or at least that's what he was told. Even though Kylo had no direct part in this mission, the doctors and nurses still reported to him cheerfully, updating him on every new detail as if he cared.

On the monitor with her updated vitals, in the right hand corner, was a small square. Faces of many different young women panned quickly. They all shared the same general features. Dark hair, dark eyes, long face with sharp features. They randomized every few seconds. He learnt, thanks to a nurse who had come by to inject mass amounts of nutrients in the gel fluid, that based on her genetic makeup, these images were rough prints of what she would look like one day. One day soon, when her body was grown and she was to be cut from the sac, flounding around, and thrown into training.

Somehow it made this harder for Kylo. As best he tried to disassociate from this, putting a face to this fascination made him all the more intrigued. And dare he say attached? She had a face, and one day a personality Gods forbid. A true extension of himself he never thought would happen.

Four months it was today, and she had grown substantially. About the size of both his clenched fists put together.

She still looked odd. Misshapen and delicate, but amazingly enough her body formed well. The smallest toes and fingers attached to her flubbery little arms. She had a nose now, a tiny slit for a mouth, closed eyelids.

It calmed him looking into the gel fluid, peering down at this tiny creature. Today had been tantalizing, though it wasnt much of a difference from the usual antics going on - but today was different. He met the scavenger girl through their force bond. It was a startling notion that at any random given time she could peer into some invisible window and speak with him.

Kylo stepped out of the room, deciding it was best to completely stay away from this project as best he could. He clasped his helmet shut over his head of hair. He couldn't let Rey leak the knowledge of the First Orders plans to the Resistance, or this little being would be destroyed indefinitely.

As much as he told himself this was Snokes pet project, he didn't want her chance at life, even a life of hardships in the First Order, demolished.

x

The next time he saw Rey, Kylo was alone in his quarters, not something that happened often as he was a busy man. She started him, her voice echoed through his chambers, the vision of her standing five feet away from him came in an instant.

"What do you want." She queried with a furrowed brow, as if he had interupted her.

Kylos brows twitched. "_You_ appeared in my room." He straightened his composure and faced her, his expression softened when he noticed her glance wasn't as hateful as she portrayed it to be.

"What's doing this?" Rey murmured, watching him with eyes like a predator, curiosity and her natural suspicious attitude was written clearly on her face. "I don't understand."

"We have a bond." Kylo spoke as if he himself knew one hundred percent the reasoning behind her appearances. Truth be told he had no idea, but he felt like brewing something up she could go along with would be a better play to pull her toward the First Order. "For reasons beyond me it wants us to connect."

"Maybe it senses the light in you." She spoke thoughtfully, her expression was soft and inviting. "It's drawing us together for the sole reason of guiding you toward that side."

"Or maybe you the dark." He pursed his lips. He hated how she could feel the tension within him, a tight knot he knew not to untie. Kylo liked to bury that deep, where it was safe, and not occupying his mind space.

"How can you support them..." Her eyes were warm, and lit a fire in his belly he tried to diminish. "The things they do to innocent people, I know you can get passed this-"

"I _am_ them." He barked, the corners of his lips downturned to a frown. He took long strides toward the swirling door and peered back at her. "I know it will be you, the one to turn."

He left without another word, and when he heard the door shut behind him and not open once more, he knew she had vanished.

He found himself in the medical wing. It was late in the night, or for some a very early morning, leaving the halls barren. He was naked in the sense he left his helmet back in the room, and although with or without the helmet, they knew him all the same. Though he thought maybe the mask provided him a sense of differentiating what he showed to the masses of people, and thr very fee who have seen him without it.

Nevertheless, he needed to calm down. Kylo cursed to himself for allowing himself to get to riled up by her presence, her words alone shouldn't hold the power to have a hold on him. If Snoke knew what affect she had on him... He shook it off. Next time it would be different. She would be at his whim.

He found himself standing in front of the glass to the AAW. He pressed his palm to the cool glass that seperated them. Watching the gentle pulsations of the sac allowed him to regulate his breathing in conjuction to the rhythm.

She was unattended, he preferred it so, no nurse to spot him watching over this machine protectively. His heart returned to a normal rate and he could feel the flush of heated anger drain from his face.

It pulsed before his eyes and he was left unblinking

xx

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	3. Secret Meetings

Snoke had referred to this project as the ultimate culmination of beings and circumstances.

Kylo Ren stood silent in Snoke's throne room. He wasn't much for talking when he wasn't expected to, allowing Hux and Snoke to take up the mantle of decisive planning for future endeavors.

This was no different. Much like taking the backseat to his DNA being used to create the ultimate warrior, he objected not. This was Snoke's design, and Hux just a glorifed order taker.

"This ... _Child ... _Will take utmost importance in regards to training. When ready you are to pause the fleet in schoolage and focus in on this one."

Kylo watched from behind his mask as Hux's brow twitched slightly at Snoke's words.

Although unspoken but not obvious, Hux and Kylo had no pinch of good will for the other. So it was to be expected from Hux's end that he was not particulatly fond of this plan that had been unfolded infront of him. Doting on a _'child'_ that originates from someone he did not respect didn't hold well with him.

"Supreme Leader, if I may speak openly." Hux began, folding his arms behind his back neatly. Kylo prepared mentally for the banter that would ensue, as it did frequently when the three were present.

Snoke waved him on with a careless movement of his hand.

"I believe we should be hedging our bets on this particular plan." Hux glanced in Kylos direction, the same disgusted look etched on his features. It reminded Kylo of the phrase in which your appearance would permanently affix to the look you donned the most - and Hux had been wearing the displeased face quite often as of late.

"And why's that?" Snoke mused, leaning a few inches closer on the cold throne, an indicator of either interest or displeasure. Kylo had a hard time differentiating the two.

Hux cleared his throat in a confident move. "Relying so heavily on a child we know not if they pocess the powers of which you speak of seems _trivial_."

Kylo raised a brow behind his mask but bit his tongue.

"I can arrange a steadfast tutelage for the newest batch of recruits and volunteers, their sheer numbers alone will tower over the insignificance of one-"

"_Trivial... Insignificant_." Snoke repeated, his tone lowering and Kylo now knew how this would end.

Kylo glanced slightly over in Hux's direction, glowering at the mans stupidity to question Snokes master plan. Even if he himself, who had more reason to he offended by this plan, had managed to stay quiet. Hux merely glanced back at Kylo with the same dirty look. Kylo only imagined him saying he _didn't need two Rens running all over the place._

"Inform me what the insignificance of merging bloodlines and gene editing, gene advancement would be... As opposed to your kidnapped children being thrown in a combat simulator and expecting them to hit their targets every time."

Hux lowered his gaze at Snoke's reply, now most likely feeling gutted he had spoken out of place. Kylo was glad it wasn't him - he'd learnt his lesson when he spoke out of turn long ago.

"I see you fail to recognize the importance of a fighter that knows nothing else but the art of the fight, trained in the ways of Berserkers, stronger than any being with their force usage."

"I apologize, Supreme Leader, I merely meant that _perhaps _we should not focus all our manpower training one, but all together in light of this."

"The answer is no." Snoke leaned back on his throne with a look of contempt. "This project will propel us to the forefront of this war. If you seek any different you are not with _us._"

"What are you talking about?"

_Rey_. Kylo snapped his head up and viewed her through his mask, his heart pounding against his ribs so fiercely his throat felt the vibrations. She stood between himself and Snoke, her head craned over her shoulder to attempt at focusing in on the blurry words she heard in the background. His first instinct was to pounce, his body jerking slightly to force grab her, to present her captured to the man in charge.

It took a brief moment for him to realize she was presenting only to him, through their seemingly private bond, otherwise Hux would have yelled for the guards and Snoke would have her thrown under highest security by now.

While his heart rate began to dwindle from the rush of adrenaline he stared absentmindedly at her, she continued to listen in on the ends of their conversations, pondering what this all meant.

Hux retreated first, and like a smacked up dog, it seemed his tail was tucked between his legs. Kylo smirked behind his mask. Small things like witnessing Hux receive a scolding made his day, and that wasn't a regular occurrence.

Kylo waited for the next lift down, favouring solitude usually, though this time he had his own company. When the doors swirled shut he removed his helmet and shook his hair free, the heat build up in there wasn't to his liking, and in privacy he kept it off as much as he could. It also helped that he believed Rey reacted better when he seemed more ... _human. _

"Hello?" She waved a hand in front of his face, seemingly irked he had ignored her pleas for explanations.

Kylo squinted in her direction. "Do you think I'll out myself to speak to you?"

"Well." She almost shrugged, realizing even though it felt like time stopped in their reality it did not, the world just buzzed around them. "No, you're right."

Rey continued before he could speak. "What exactly are you training? Some kind of super solider?"

Kylo scoffed through his nose at the implication that he would so freely give up that information. The lift descended quickly. Their conversation would almost be up.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He teased with a smirk. "How about we make a deal, you and I. I give you information on the First Orders ordeals, and you give me the location of Luke Skywalker."

Rey rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "He told me, you know." Kylo raised a brow at this. "What happened all those years ago."

Kylos smirk grew slightly. "Did he? I wonder what version that was."

Rain started to pour. It drenched, casting a sheet of water over her face. She squinted through her soaked eyelashes. "What do you mean."

He shook his head slightly. "You're naive to think he'd tell you anything but his version of the truth." He wound his helmet around on his gloved palms, his floor drawing near, ready to retreat back into the darkness of his helmet. "Ask him then why he chose to leave out the fact he attempted to kill me that night."

When her brows furrowed in confusion he pulled the heavy metal over his head. "Go on, ask him." His voice now masked as well.

The lift halted and the doors swirled open to reveal a large expanse of hallway before them. With the idea to leave her behind to continue with his day, he was stopped.

"I dont understand-!" She reached out instinctively, her slender fingers tucking into the wedge of his elbow. She felt the fabric of his dark tunic, the pulsation of his arm rippling at her touch under the fabric. She gasped and withdrew her hand to her chest protectively.

Kylo slowly turned his head to view her over his shoulder, he could see her eyes so clearly, bright and frightened at the revelation of physical touch in their bond. She squinted to him for a split second to see if she could meet eyes, but the next time he blinked, she was gone.

And in the crook of his elbow and the toe of his boot laid a few circular drops of water.

x

Hux had paused training for the current fledglings in preparation. Well, they were given low rated trainers, and their regiments weren't supervised in the slightest. Given their own barracks to bide time until the project was commenced.

Although even training was not to be handled by Kylo, the process still intrigued him, as he had once trained the Knights of Ren, leading him to question how Hux would fair training someone strong in the Force.

The large training wing was a wide open space with any weapon you could imagine decorating racks on the walls. It was empty today, which normally would draw concern, but she was almost ready.

Kylo stood alone in the viewing lounge, where either Hux or higher rankings generals and officers would watch their fleet train over sips of expensive liquor.

It was almost eerie he thought. Kylo removed his helmet and placed it on the circular table affixed to the thick glass. It felt almost as if they had lost the war and he watched over the ruins of the places he used to roam. He'd spent ages in here, sparring against training dummies and fight partners alike.

Soon she would be here, training the exact way he did, specialized instructors being bought from various planets for the special occasion. This entire facility dedicated to ensure every aspect of her being could be weaponized.

Since speeding the process up these past few weeks she had frown substantially. Or so he heard. Kylo couldn't find himself to return to see her. In part he was nervous Rey would apparate out of thin air and piece together clues for the Resistance, as well as Snoke increasing security in the medical wing for just that event happening.

Nurses were chatty enough, he decided. So he opted for tuning into their chattering. Most of it useless garbage but he learnt a few things here and there.

"I talked to Luke."

Kylo nearly jumped out of his skin, visibly bristling at her presence.

"Jeez, what's got you on edge." She teased but her face had no playful undertone. He turned on his heels to tower over her, but she did not cower.

"You choosing inopportune times to appear before me." He breathed in an almost embarrassed and frustrated manner, running his fingers through his mane of hair absentmindedly.

Rey shrugged. "I don't choose to appear... But if I think about you enough it just sort of happens." She explained but shooed away her words with her hands. "That's not why I'm here. Luke ... he lied to me, you were right."

"So he admitted to it." Kylo raised a curious brow. That certainly wasn't something he was expecting.

"Even if he hadn't.. Ben, when we touched I saw what had happened." She breathed deeply and timidly. "I confronted him about what he'd done. He... He's a stubborn old man."

"I could have told you that."

"He doesn't see what I see, clearly." Her features softened , her eyes that once stared at him coldly now shone with kindness and sympathy. "He let you down."

Kylo gulped thickly. Those weren't times he was proud of, though when questioned about it he had to admit it was one of his greatest feats, destroying Lukes Jedi temple and his students along with it.

"I saw the whole night Ben. You didn't kill all of the students, I watched you usher most of them to the First Order shuttle waiting above-"

"To be new recruits." He interjected feverishly. Heart rate raising, panic coursing his veins. He swore by his life he killed as many as he could before convincing some to join the cause, but Snoke hadn't known it was simply because he wasnt built to kill innocent young adults and children.

"No," Rey started as she touched at his elbow shyly, "you keep telling yourself that, but thats not the truth is it. You're _good_."

"I trapped them in a life of servitude to the First Order."

"No, you gave them life. Finn was able to make the decision for himself what he wanted to believe and do, everyone has that option. Even you."

Kylo stared down at her thoughtfully. It was obvious she was passionate about turning him to the light, painfully obvious, and it made him wonder if she truly believed what she spoke or if she wanted this done just to say she was able to turn him.

"When this war is over, we'll give them the chance to come back, or if they want to remain faithful to the First Order so be it - at least they had the option."

"And what if I chose to remain faithful to the First Order?" Kylo queried after her spiel, raising a brow in her direction. "Would you respect that decision?"

"No." Rey shook her head along with her words. "Because I know for a fact that's not your ultimate path."

Rey touched at his bicep gently with her timid fingertips, just barely grazing over it before the world rippled around her. Kylo didn't protest, instead he watched in confusion as she backed away and looked around the room astoundedly.

"What? What is it?" He stood pin straight with a defensive stance, looking around the lounge despite knowing they couldn't see eachothers surroundings, or so he thought.

He relaxed when she meandered over to the large windows, wrapping her fingers around the sleek steel hand railing, in wonder.

"You can see your surroundings?" Kylo stalked to her right side, raising inquisitive brows in her direction. "Have you always been able to do that?"

"N-no." She murmured, her mind drifting to the different reasons this just now came into play. "I think it's because you let your guard down."

She stared up at him, her hazel eyes glistening, hoping to hear him confirm her theories, however distant and farfetched they were. It was hard though, he thought reluctantly to himself, to deny those eyes.

xxx

**again, sorry for typos! this was written on my phone!**

**thank you for the lovely reviews, I'm glad there's people that like this! keep them coming and I'll continue ! **


	4. Dwindling Time

She'd grown substantially these past few days.

Kylo knew because he broke his personal set rule to stay clear in hopes Rey would not pop in and witness the First Orders grand scheme in person.

He'd already spoken with Rey briefly before his comm link rang from the bridge, and after overseeing new recon mission plans, he secluded himself once more. He thought it would be safe to check in - he usually saw Rey once a day or every other day, so perhaps he could sneak this in.

He watched the AAW through the freshly cleaned glass like a stranger who was not allowed within a certain range of someone else, only half facing the window in a timid like manner.

_Snoke wasn't kidding when he wanted the process sped up. _He thought to himself dimly as hia brain attempted to unfold what was before him.

She was maybe the size of a toddler. The gel sac of the machine had expanded three times its normal size to engulf this little being. Kylo had never been around babies much, but if he had to put a finger on a rough estimate on her _'age'_ he'd safely assume the time she'd be _birthed_ and one year old - really, he couldn't tell. The idea was to keep her in here for x amount of time so they could speed this process up as much as they could before cramming knowledge into that tiny brain.

It shocked him. He didn't know the machinery could withstand being pushed to its limits in such a way, as he recalled it was primarily used to mimic a regular gestational period, which he knew varied between species but were very roughly in the same timeline.

As a lump formed in the back of his throat he shook his head to himself. _This is sick._

He knew with this technology the First Order was promised a practically endless army of their genetic chosing. Beside the machine were tables upon tables of different injectable nutrients needed by her rapidly expanding cells. On the left were all the empty satchels, only small dribbles of coloured liquids pooled where gravity pulled them. This couldn't be a cheap endeavor, that was for sure, and he wondered where the money was being pulled from.

**x**

Her body was transferred to a bacta tank like machine. The AAW could not hold her comfortable any longer - but comfort wasn't the First Orders priority, and it drove Kylo anxious thinking they most likely wanted to free the machine up for another body.

The room that once held the machine now lay vacant, lights dimmed and empty satchels removed. It almost felt sad really, as if someone had died in there. The machine lay empty, barren, the gel fluid had been syphoned out so the sac had decompressed like a raisin.

Kylo didn't dare pace to the end of the hall even though his curiosity screamed at him to do so. The room was almost always occupied, nurses, scientists, officers guarding the perimeter. It wasn't that they could tell him to stay away, because he had no problem showing his authority - but if Snoke were to hear of his snooping, he'd surely get a lecture.

For now all he could do was stare down the stark white hallway, feeling the emotional control he once had over this situation slowly lose grip.

**x**

"What in the world has gotten you so distant." Rey inquired curiously, leaning against the steel wall of his quarters, raising a brow in his direction. She'd appeared just minutes before, taking it upon herself to wrap her fingers around his upper arm to step into his physical space.

Kylo flicked his gaze to give her a squinted once over. Turmoil raged within him, such a feeling he was not prone to reacting well to but he fought to keep it under control.

He wished he could confide in her the plans the First Order hatched, or anybody for that matter. Never in his life had he felt like he had that someone, and initially he was fine with the idea that her being in the dark was his best interest, though lately he was feeling incredibly disconnected. He jerked his head to the side to rid his vision of a stray lock of hair and inhaled a deep breath of air.

Earlier he noticed the original room for the AAW had been cleaned, empty satchels and garbage removed, tables wiped down and sanitzed. Normally this wouldn't strike an alarm because their base was to be strictly tidy at all times, but the machine itself had been tinkered with. The gel sac that once had been cleaned out and withered had been filled with nutrient rich fluid once more.

The image made him shudder. Physically, at that, because Rey noticed and snapped her fingers to regain his attention.

"What's wrong?" She spoke softly and calmly, her warm hazel eyes inviting him to vent his frustrations.

Instead he gulped thickly. "Nothing, it's been a long day." He could feel the secret words of the plan bubble at his throat like immense heartburn, begging to pop.

Kylo stood and paced to his large quarters kitchenette, feeling the need to back away from her before he said something incredibly stupid. Wrapping his fingers around the glass coolers handle, he pulled it open, retrieving an ice cold bottle of water, hoping the chill would clear his muggy mind.

As he sipped he watched her follow him with a cross look on her face. "No, that's not it. If you don't think I notice these things you're mistaken."

He placed the bottle on the counter with a small unheard _clink_. The water hadn't helped, and as he watched her approach his mind buzzed and begged for resolve.

Kylo knew one thing was for sure - if he swayed and allowed her in his thickly enclosed bubble his troubles would ebb away, but to follow would only be a slew of hardships. He gripped his metal bottle till his knuckles turned white and his throat felt like it was swelling shut with pressure.

Rey stared up at him with kind eyes - something Kylo hadn't known for so long, years, over ten years at least he figured. From his mother, it had to have been her, their last farewell on the call in Lukes office before the night he left.

They looked so welcoming.

Kylo stepped away from her immediately, dragging his bottle across the counter as he did so - holding onto it like a lifeline.

"What's wrong?" She pleaded now, taking a step forward in her worn leather booties to close the gap he tried to make between the two. "_Please_, I sense nothing but anguish from you, let me help."

Rey watched his face twitch as if he was holding a flood of emotions and words back, his deep brown eyes betrayed him and that's all the words she needed. They begged her to stay and told her the pain that hid behind them, although he himself remained stoic.

She pursed her lips and watched him with an almost defeated look. "_Please Ben._"

He tore his gaze away from her, staring solidly at the flooring behind her, a last ditch effort to feverishly build a mental wall between Kylo and the Ben she managed to lure out.

Rey brushed her fingers over his bare skin before confidently wrapping her small wrist around his exposed forearm. "I'll help you, I promise, even if you won't let me in."

He cast his eyes over her once more, the pent up anxiety and frustrations seemed to drain from his head to his feet and finally away into nothingness. He couldn't do it. He couldn't continue to shove _Ben_ down inside.

"Rey-"

Kylo's comm link rang on his wrist and when he blinked out of his alarm she was gone.

"Ren." Hux spoke drably, very obviously holding contempt he had to contact Kylo.

Kylo let his eyes flutter shut and allowed a shaky breath escape from between his lips silently. "What is it Hux." He managed to hide the disappointment from his voice.

He heard Hux sigh noisily through his nose. "Supreme Leader would like to see us in his throne room."

Kylo tapped the comm link closed. When the screen was drained of its light he shook his head in disbelief. He began to believe any sort of mental relief was not in his destiny.

He wrapped his hands around the lip of the sink, letting his head drape low while his shoulders jutted upwards, his mane of hair falling into his face. It was then he had realized any shred of freedom he thought he had was owned by Snoke and it'd been that way since he was a child. Kylo shook his head. He felt like it was almost time to break the cycle.

The cool water from the tap rushed into his awaiting palms, and when a pool collected in his large hands, he tossed it into his face. The water drained off his face off his chin and a few droplets hung to his long lashes. His eyes remained open in contemplation. He was sure he could not continue to go on.

He stood silently in the elevator bound to the throne room. He had changed back into his normal attire and his helmet secured tight, his saber on the hitch of his belt. He gulped behind his musk, uncertain of how this meeting would unfold, so he packed his weapon.

Exiting the elevator, Kylos breath hitched in his throat. The bacta tank was stationed off to the right side of where Snoke sat, glowing blue under the dim lights.

Kylo approached and stood feet apart from Hux, whos eyes watched the bacta tank with both curiosity and resentment. Kylo forced himself not to glance over.

"Preparations must be completed for her arrival." Snoke spoke after he tore his own glance away from the tank, nothing but admiration sparkled in his eyes.

The withered old man craned his neck to stare down Kylo Ren for a brief moment. "_Our _plan has come to fruition."

Kylo stared straight ahead, his mask concealing what he figured was a twisted upset expression he donned. "It has, Supreme Leader."

"Do we have an estimated time on exactly when _it _will be ready?" Hux glowered, Kylo just knew he stared at him with hateful eyes.

The doctor standing beside the tank stepped forward. "She is approximately seven years old," he flipped through his notebook with his thumb, "I'd estimate maybe a month more before her body has fully matured enough for us to begin her training."

Snoke touched the tips of his fingers together and hummed with pleasure.

"Ah." Hux stared at the bacta tank idly before continuing. "I will double check each teachers regiment thoroughly once more to ensure our standards are met."

"Mm, yes." Snoke agreed, unable to tear his eyes away from his most prized possession.

Kylo watched him with half lidded eyes. It donned on him just now - that once she has met Snoke's incredibly high standards, she was to take Kylos place as apprentice. She would know nothing of the light, brainwashed as fast as she could to know one thing only, and it was the side he tried so desperately to become a part of but never could. Snoke knew Kylo struggled at times, and he managed to still wring Kylo of one last awful deed.

Finally Kylo peered toward the glistening tank. There she was, her limbs long and floating aimlessly in the fluid, her dark hair long and wild behind her. They dressed her in a dark grey hospital gown, it fit loosely around her feeble body. Cables, like accessories, decorated her wrists, neck, and face, connecting to different access points on the surface of the tank.

He drew in a shaky breath inside his mask, where he felt like he was in the only safe space for him left.

He thought maybe because she was Snoke's beloved pet project she would he free of the same tortures he endured - but he knew that to be untrue.

**x**

_Wow thank you for the lovely reviews! They're all incredible, and they definitely keep me going!_

_I hope this chapter wasn't too out of character for Kylo, I'm trying to wrap my head around how he mentally would turn._

_Thank you again! _


	5. Wording

Kylo caught wind of the newest tidbit of information on the test subject, as they referred to her as.

He was in the medbay for reasons unrelated to snooping when a pair of chattering nurses hunkered down around the corner. With his interest poked at, he leaned against the wall and craned his head in such a way that his ear faced the corner, although he still remained masked.

Their voices were hushed but over the years Kylo had perfected his ability to hear close range as well as far, for any oncoming threat.

There was apparently a very expensive coder and programmer that had been pulled in by the projects recon team, best in the business, and the First Order liked to have nothing but the best. He was to configure a way to convert every basic word into a code which would then be implanted in a small metal piece. The metal piece then would make its way to a nook in her skull behind her ear.

The technicalities were lost on the nurses but Kylo made partial sense of them. He absentmindedly pursed his lips shut with his teeth in a nervous way as he remembered news articles he'd read. Physical implants meant for limb loss and enhanced abilities were nothing short of the norm in this day of age, but he rarely heard of anything like this. With the ability to code things into a brain it only gave the First Order more power.

Kylo began down the hallway in long powerful strides. He knew this only gave her the grasp of the widely known lexicon and in the grand scheme of things was the least bit worrying, but Kylo couldn't help but worry what else they were planning to tamper with.

**x**

"Hello."

"H-hello."

"Good." Pen met paper, ink drowning into into the bleached parchment in swirly lines. "Goodbye."

She blinked, and the machine linking into her brain buzzed at the words the man said. "Guh..." Her brows twitched, a sound only she could hear bounced around her skull. "Good ... bye."

"Mhm." He continued to jot notes down absentmidedly. He flicked his eyes upwards to stare into her own. "Fight... And the definition, please."

He watched her brows furrow at the request, and he peered to her ear to see the small flicker of a green light flash on, indicating her implant was doing the job.

"Fight." She whispered, speaking softly as she listened to the robotic voice instruct her. " A ... vi-oh-lent ... con fron tation?" She squinted. "Or struggle." It was evident her words were new on her tongue but to the doctor, they were an immense success. Immediate definitions and the word being phonetically voiced to her would prove to be the leading technology.

"Yes, indeed." He nodded along to her words. "That's all for now, until next time."

Her eyes flashed with primal fear, her back jolting pin straight as she jerked her head over her shoulder. "No!" She called out, attempting to clamber to her feet, but failing because they had not taught her how to stand yet. Evidently for this reason.

"Calm down, you." The doctor instructed, and he watched her piece turn on, telling her exactly what he said.

Two guards marched over, towering over her small frame.

"No!" She shouted, directing pleading eyes toward the doctor. "Please!"

The men picked her up from her armpits and lifted her until her feet no longer touched the floor. She thrashed around but she was no match for the muscular men.

She continued to scream until a nurse had injected a serum into a vein on the inside of her elbow. Suddenly her head dropped and her long locks of dark hair shadowed her face.

It was back to the bacta tank for her.

**x**

"Hey you." Rey whispered, the tall man suddenly appearing down the curved hahall of the ship. He looked startled to see her, but immediately paced forward toward her. "I don't know why, but I haven't been able to see you."

"I don't know why either.." Kylo voiced, feeling a gentle surge of relief wash over him when she appeared before him. He'd been alone in his quarters contemplating his very place in this world within the First Order, so a friendly face was exactly what he needed in this moment.

Instinctively he raised his almost trembling hand and touched at the rough skin on her cheekbone, leaving her unflinched.

The world around him rippled, what once was his private space now seemed oddly familiar.

He glanced around for a few brief seconds before his hand dropped back to his side. "The Falcon."

"Yeah.." She murmured, stepping away slightly in guilt. "I'm sorry, I know it's a sore spot." Or at least she assumed so, and by the look on his face, it was the safe assumption.

Kylo slowly placed to the holoboard and tapped on Dejarik. "This ship seems relatively untouched."

Rey joined him at his side, looking up to meet his dark eyes with a small smile. "It sat in Unkar Plutts junk yard for _years. _He paid for basic maintenance on the ship for the day somebody would want to buy it."

She shrugged to her own words and continued. "Or its imminent theft."

"Jakku?" Kylo questioned curiously, though he figured he was correct, as his intel suggested she never left the junk planet. She nodded to his question.

Although it brought pained memories to think of Han, Kylo just could not imagine how Han would have felt knowing his _precious _ship had sat in the desert for years with no real mechanic on board.

Kylo looked around thoughtfully, and in doing so he was able to see a vision of his younger self, maybe nine or ten, trailing behind Han asking a million questions about wiring. Or the time Han yelled at him from the Captains seat to where he sat in the co-pilots seat to _put his damn seat belt on properly. _

Maybe there were some good memories, but following behind the good there were always bad. A young Solo watching as thhe Falcon jetted off into the sky, leaving him with yet another sitter or a busy yet absentee mother. Far too often he was shooed off the ship, Han letting business take priority over raising his son.

Kylo blinked away the memories. There was a reason he wanted this thing destroyed - he hated how it made him feel, and he thought he purged these memories long ago.

"Does it bring back bad memories?" Rey queried sympathetically after she watched him zone out in thought for a moment there.

Her words startled him, his quick brown eyes meeting her hazel ones in a flash. She had ripped him from his reverie, Kylo Ren wanting to completely take over and fly this thing into a gorge. He brushed it aside.

"It does." He answered truthfully and he watched her eat it up.

"Maybe we can talk where you are - if you preferred." She placed her warm palm and fingers around his upper arm thinking she'd be transported away across the galaxy, but it was a fruitless attempt. "Do you still see my surroundings?"

She didn't remove her hand from him and Kylo glanced around to see, but the Falcon remained. With a guest. Or, he supposed he wasn't a guest but a permanent resident, Chewbacca.

A sense of panic gurgled in his stomach and rose into his esophagus, a burning sensation mixed with fear.

Chewbacca stood in a doorway, silent, watching the two with his beady little eyes, mouth slightly ajar in confusion.

Rey followed Kylos gaze and saw her furry friend encroaching on them. "Chewbacca." She said sternly and cautiously, thinking to herself for a split second if she should remove her hand from Ben, but she didn't. Maybe, she thought, her in the middle of the two would stop whatever would ensue because surely she could not stop a brawl between them. Her own panic rose within her.

_It's him! _Chewbacca roared angrily, taking a threatening step forward to the two. _What are you doing stalling, end him!_

"No, Chewie." Rey shook her head at his request, absentmindedly tightening her grip on Bens bicep protectively. Rey cursed to herself inwardly, maybe she should have been telling Chewie what she'd been up to lately so he wouldn't react so steongly, but she guessed her need for their own privacy and force bond only the two of them knew about got to her first.

Chewbacca took another step and Rey reached out her left hand, palm facing the beast in a _stop _gesture. "Please don't, I can explain."

_He killed Han, Rey! _Chewie exhasperated, taking a step closer, though Rey and Kylo both noted to themselves that it was less threatening this time.

Kylo debated on replying to Chewbacca, as he complerely understood every word the wookie said. Then he pondered to himself as Rey and Chewie bantered if it would be worth it - he bet Rey would want him to keep his mouth shut.

"I know he did." Rey looked over her right shoulder to waver her eyes in Kylos direction, seemingly unsure of what to say. "I know."

_Then what are we waiting for!_

"The situation is ... tricky." She let out a shaky chuckle, remaining between the two _just in case._

_Nothing tricky about it..._

Rey watched as Chewies eyes narrowed at Kylo, and she knew she had to attempt one more time to de-escalate the situation, but it was too late.

Chewbacca lurched forward with extended arms and instinctively Rey curled away, leaping to the floor and expecting the two to topple over her in a physical altercation, but she was wrong. They didn't toss each other around because the second Chewie got his furry fists on him, Ben had disappeared out of her world.

"Chewie..." Rey sighed and pushed off the floor with a defeated look on her face. She took a few timid steps toward him, where he stood planted with his arms still hovering in the air where he imagined Kylos neck. "Chewie I'm sorry."

_Why? _He shook his head slightly at her words. _I don't_ _understand._

"Do you remember him when he was a boy?"

Chewie studied her face. _Of course__ I do. That is what makes it so tough._

"He's still in there, believe in him. I see it when we touch, he's so close to the light.." Rey pleaded with him, sympathetically running her fingers down Chewie's arm. "What he did is unforgivable, and I feel like I'll always hold that against him, but unfortunate circumstances led him astray. It's our job to make sure he stays on this path."

**x**

Kylo was summoned to the throne room. The escalator ride up was lonely, and behind his mask he silently wished for Reys company. For her to loom over his shoulder when he stood alone amongst people who slowly became his enemies. Without her reassurances, he felt like an ant against an entire army of giants.

He strode down the walkway and approached the throne, noting Hux had managed to be there before him. Kylo inwardly scoffed - as much as Kylo vied for years to be Snoke's lone confident, Hux would wait on him hand and foot if he had to for some ounce of favour.

What once angered an easily upset and somewhat jealous Kylo, now made him grateful someone else took the brunt of Snoke's orders.

"Our first test subject failed."

Kylo, who's gaze was affixed to the floor until he is called upon, allowed his head to snap upwards at the words. Snoke saw this, watching Ren with a dutiful eye.

"Most unfortunate, Supreme Leader." Hux said sternly, holding his hands behind his back.

Kylo could feel rage boil in his belly, red hot fire burning and scorching his vital organs, ready to pour out in the form of violence. _I need to calm down. _He recited this to himself over and over, the heat reaching his face and causing a sweat break out. _How could she fail? _

It seemed they did everything right.

Snoke squinted at Kylo. "I sense ... turmoil in you, Ren."

He was called out, he sharply took in a breath to calm himself down, attempting to drain the heat from his face. Snoke would be able to hear it laced in his voice he was sure.

"She was to be our greastest asset, Supreme Leader." He breathed confidently under his mask, acknowledging to himself he maintained his voice well enough under pressure for once.

Snoke continued to eyeball him, leaving Kylo under the spotlight. "Remove that damn helm of yours." His voice has lowered, and Kylo knew he was in for it.

He reached up and unclasped the the two pieces, allowing enough space to lift it over his head and hair. When free his shook his patted down hair free, framing his face in darkness.

"Do you think I not sense what's within you boy?"

Kylo stayed quiet, Snoke liked to ask rhetorical questions. He could feel Hux glower at him from his right with a snide face, Kylo just knew it.

"Do you think we would _honestly_ keep such a project in the _medbay_ long term?" Snoke chuckled in a belittling way.

Kylo grew confused, what was he getting at?

"I know how many times you paid visits." Snoke snapped suddenly, leaning forward in his chair, spindly fingers clutching at the ends of the arm rests. "I wanted to see if the weakness within you drove you to satiate your curiosity."

"This project is quite the undertaking, my visitations were only to make sure things were going accordingly."

"Don't you have underlings for that?"Hux scoffed and fixated his gaze back toward Snoke.

Snoke grumbled incoherently, pressing his fingers to his temples. "What will I do with you."

Silence draped over them, the three plus guards looming over the high tension in the room. Until Snoke spoke up.

"The project has not failed." He watched Kylo intently for any show of weakness. "I aimed to prove a point, the point being you are too emotionally fixated on this!"

The waves of anger and anxiety ebbed away within Kylo.

"Unfortunately for me ... and our seemingly _lost _efforts on you and your emotions, you are to try and awaken them with the Force. We have been attempting this but they just aren't_ grasping _it."

Kylo hoped to the Gods she was not Force Sensitive.


	6. Connecting Energies

Kylo Ren placed the helmet over his head with gloved hands, a uniform click as the pieces fell into eachother correctly, alerting him the helmet was adjusted properly.

He had been dreading this early morning for a few days now - not because he wasn't an early riser, but because he had been tasked with something he found so profoundly daunting, which was a feeling he felt rarely.

He let out a subdued sigh, one only he could hear. Like the Knights of Ren, he was to train the project.

_Her. _He thought to himself with a shake of his head, inwardly cursing to himself. Kylo thought perhaps disassociating himself from what she was, a girl made from his DNA and a donors, would let him detach this strong sense of protectiveness he had over her and her wellbeing. Over the course of the past few days he had referred to her only as the project, or _Subject __One as_ nurses so lovingly referred to her as in the halls, but it was a fruitless attempt on his behalf.

Not one shred of decency or compassion was held toward her. Nobody thought of her as just a girl, a sorry product of the system of war. Though he was expected to, he could not contribute to the endless mounts of people treating her as a tool rather than a living being.

Kylo thought for a split second that the situation reminded him of, well, himself. He shook it off rather quickly but in the back of his mind he knew it was true, that Snoke had utilised him as just another piece in the puzzle. Now he was to be thrown out with the trash when she was ready.

Kylo stood in the viewing lounge overlooking the training grounds. He tensed his fingers inside his gloves, hands feeling nervous and hot already, antsy energy coursing through his veins. He hated this feeling already and she wasn't even out yet.

He debated making up some grand scheme of needing to attack whatever planets outpost was the closest to their ship, but waved the thought off immediately with a sigh. Snoke was already keeping a watchful eye on his actions, so delaying the inevitable would not be wise.

He glanced over to the opposite side of the room, where Hux sat around an oval gleaming table with some high ranking officials from planets who have pledged to their cause. Of course a few of her doctors and the man responsible for her brain implant were present, ready to show her off to the world.

Kylo squinted behind his helmet at the gathering. It was easy to tell this is where the money coming in was from, they looked wealthy, and from the trim and crests on their robes he knew where they were from.

Down below he heard large doors wheeling open slowly.

She walked through the doors, older than when he saw her in the bacta tank in Snokes chambers. Kylo gulped thickly and turned on his heels to descend the stairs to her.

Stalking through the door immediately after the stairs, he entered the large room. For the first thirty seconds he refused to look at her, still pacing to the middle of the room to meet with her. He _really _did not want to do this.

He stopped behind her, giving her a quick and curious once over. Her long hair reached to the middle of her back, dark natural waves that poked at memories of his mother undoing her intricate braiding and being left with wild hair until the next time she got them done.

_Don't think about her, this is hard enough as it is. _He scolded himself angrily, unsure of why as of late Leia had been on his mind more. _Let's get this done with._

Kylo stood there silently until he grew bored of waiting. "How long must I stand here before being noticed?"

His presence startled her, causing ber to jump slightly away from his imposing aura having suddenly apparated from nowhere. Her brown eyes went from wide with shock to squinted with caution, eyes framed with long dark eyelashes.

When she didn't answer, he cocked his head slightly to the side. "Well? I know you understand me."

She took a few reserved steps back, still watching him cautiously, her brows meeting in the middle. She wore standard grey medical clothing, a simple fitted short sleeve shirt and flexible pants that ended below her knee.

"Who are you?" She queried, surprising Kylo at how well the words rolled off her tongue, as he had been under the impression it would take some time to teach her phonetics properly.

"Being unable or unwilling to notice ones presence behind you isn't a favourable quality in a warrior." What would he say? A simple introduction of his name, would that suffice? His stomach lurched under his black tunic. Introduce himself as the man who provided the paternal genetic make up that would ensure her place as a slave to war?

"What if I said no to being a warrior?" She crossed her arms over her chest, looking up at him skeptically, allowing him to see the piece installed in the side of her head.

Kylo Ren breathed silently to himself. He'd never felt this bad for another human being in his life. He didn't want her to be a warrior anymore, maybe when this scheme had first been just an idea he was fine with it, until he saw her, and saw her general distrust for him and his confidents. He wished he could tell her he was on her side, but he couldn't make a promise like that.

"Then you are of no use to us." Kylo paced around her, circling her like a bird of prey. An easy tactic to asserting dominance over subjects who had their own way of thinking.

She swiveled on her bare heels to stare him down diligently. "I'll just be thrown back into the bacta tank like they do every time I say something they don't like. Then they try again in a few hours, or the next day."

Kylo stopped and stared down at her curiously, his hidden facial expression read as hurt.

"So why are you here? I haven't seen you before."

"I hear you are refusing to start your training."

"I've been non-stop training with language, as well as _physical _training." Kylo noticed her word pronunciation was off, but for how old she actually was, it was impressive regardless. "I'm always training."

"The training I refer to would be your force training." He explained, clasping his hands together in front of him.

"Why is it so important?" She furrowed her brows in his direction, still impressively standing her ground. He noted she had a perfect set of teeth, and he wondered where that came from because it certainly wasn't from him.

"Not everybody has this special ability. It allows you to have an _advantage _over your opponents." At the word advantage, right on cue, her insert blipped green and input information on the word into her brain.

She cocked her head to the side, her long locks curtaining over her shoulders delicately. "How do you know I have this ability?"

Kylo thought for a brief moment on how to approach this topic, but he decided against the truth, to keep her sanity at bay - and his.

"We've screened you." He lied through his teeth begrudgingly. Anger prickled at him when he saw the vigilant look on her face drain away into a childlike curiosity. She had let her guard down, and Kylo felt like this would be his weakness - lying to her only to pull her further into their cause.

She looked like a normal child when she didn't don a twisted frown and restrained brows. Big brown eyes, he saw his eyes in her, similar to his own naive eyes full of wonder in his youth. A smile almost, _almost_, tugged at the corners of his lips when he subconsciously noted her regular sized ears. It formed repressed memories of Han tugging him by the ear when he _accidentally_ would break an imported weapon Chewie left unguarded.

"Oh." She replied to him simply, taking the answer in stride it looked like. She held her arms behind hee back almost innocently. "So I guess you're here to do that?"

"It seems I am."

"The Force is a ... collective... of all lifeforms energies." Her machine light turned on with a green light. "Only some are born _sensitive _to these energies, and were granted powers and abilities."

Kylo thought it handy to have a built in info page for nearly everything you wanted to learn.

She seemed to drift off in thought, her eyebrow twitching as something crossed her mind.

"Does this ring any bells?" His robotic voice hummed to her with an inquisitive tone. The cogs turned in her head as she thought out how to articulate her words.

"The Doctor, he was having me thrown back to the tank ... I didn't want to go back." She began to explain, twiddling her fingers together. "I _pushed _him." She whispered pushed as if saying it too loud would be incriminating.

Kylo tilted his head to the side in a curious manner. "Let me guess this wasn't a physical shove."

She merely shook her head. "He thought he tripped over a ..." She thought of a word to say. "Cable, and that was it."

Kylo instructed her to sit down, cross legged and eyes closed, to meditate and fixate on the energies she was able to focus on like she had before. He recalled Luke's teachings, something he dreamed of doing as a child before his mother cast him off for good to be under Luke's care. Meditation became something he couldn't stand, that was when Snoke's pull was the strongest. He hoped with her in meditation and him watching over her he would be the one to guide her. _Properly. _

He had her do this for a while. At first he sensed unease and conflict within her, she was grasping for some sort of sign in the blankness of her mind. He could tell she had trouble clearing her mind of whirling thoughts, an occasional twitch crossing her features as she struggled.

In time she was able to calm down. Her breathing evened out, her fingers relaxed, and Kylo could sense her beginning to connect with the force.

That's when they took her from him. Her guards marched over and informed the two of them her time outside the tank was over, and she needed her daily dose of nutrients.

Kylo looked down on her, her hopeful expression casting to him that maybe he could sway their opinions on returning her as soon as possible.

"You're to stop fighting back when they're to take you." He stated as she stood up, a disappointed look evident now. "I'll see you again."

She listened. He wasn't sure what made him different than the other men and women that took care of her, as he tried his best to be unbiased to their circumstances. Maybe she could sense his own unease at the situation.

**x**

Snoke had called upon him to be present in the throne room later that eve.

Nerves wracked his entire body. Kylo absentmindedly pulled on his fingers, thinking to himself of the lies he had to quickly create. He sighed and thought to himself, _or the truths._ Snoke was sure to move onto another test subject if she failed, if she had yet to show signs of being a model project for his conquest.

If he were to tell a lie, she would be terminated. If he told the truth, she would continue to live but continue to act a slave to their regime. He breathed in slowly, he could feel his breath hitch in his throught, shaky and unsure.

He knelt before Snoke in silence, waiting to be spoken to, allowing him more time to work up the courage to sell her out.

"And?" Snoke questioned, throwing his fingers about in the air as if to ask _why haven't you spoken. _"The test subject, is she sensitive?"

Kylo peered up at Supreme Leader, his throat clenching. He breathed in. "Yes, Supreme Leader. I sensed her connecting to the energies as she sat and meditated."

"Mmmm." The man hummed in an almost delighted manner. "So she was holding out on us."

Kylo raised a brow behind his helmet. "I believe she did not understand what she was able to do."

Snoke scoffed at his comment. "She knows. Already she is showing signs of rebelliousness." He pursued his lips and squinted in Kylo's direction. "She was supposed to be equal in ranks to you - even surpass you. _Be __you, _minus the ... emotional baggage."

Kylo remained silent. He was used to Snoke berating him, but for some reason when her life was on the line, his anxiety shot up.

"Well." Snoke began. "That decides what I have planned for her."

"If I may ask, Supreme Leader, what is that?"

Snoke smirked quite evily. "The piece we have attached to her brain serves a double purpose, you see, we will put a halt on the connection to and from her prefrontal cortex, as well as the anterior part of her frontal lobe."

Kylo's body went rigid and his blood felt like it ran cold but it was just the coursing adrenaline in his veins.

"I can't have another who _struggles _as you do."

What they were planning to do to her ... his eyes twitched at the mere thought and the inside of his helmet grew increasingly hot. He was on the verge of exploding and lunging straight for Snoke's throat with his own bare hands. He couldn't allow this, he just couldn't.

He was done with the First Order. He'd commited a slew of terrible deeds and for that he could atone to another time, but for now, this was the line they had crossed. How they look into the eyes of that small child and defile her brain for their own gain, he didn't understand. He drew in a shaky hot breath and stared what felt like boiling beams of light at the withered old man. He'd end them.

He needed assistance, he needed Rey.

**x**

_weeeew, getting to the good stuff ! finally some interaction with the test subject! getting excited myself hehe._

_thank you all so much for the reviews, I adore them all and smile at each one! _

_also if you didn't already know, what Snoke is planning to do is basically a lobotomy, in our terms._

_ps. sorry for any spelling mistakes I made, no autocorrect! _


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